Fire service needs to mirror population

Date published: 20/05/2008

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service must change the face of its force and recruit more women and ethnic minorities it is to qualify for extra funding.

The brigade has only 23 women, which represents 1.2 per cent of the 1,975 full-time or retained crews across the county.

And ethnic minority staff account for only 1.9 per cent of the workforce, whether firefighters or civilian staff.

Today, Fire Minister Parmjit Dhanda set out new tough measures.

By 2013, brigades must ensure that 15 per cent of firefighter recruits are women, and 9.2 per cent must be from ethnic minorities, in line with the ethnic make up of Greater Manchester.

In addition, if the service wants a share of £2 million, it will have to set a more ambitious target of 18 per cent of recruits being women firefighters, 11.2 per cent being from ethnic minorities.

Mr Dhanda says the move is to change the face of the fire service to fully reflect the communities it serves.

He said: “People become firefighters because they want a rewarding career serving the community and saving lives.

“But the service often fails to attract the talent and potential that women, gay people, and those from minority ethnic backgrounds have to offer.

“This is not about political correctness, but about providing opportunity for all and finding the best skilled and talented people across communities.

“This will ensure Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service not only better represents the diversity of the communities it serves but enhances protection for everyone.

“The challenge now is for it to get out there and find and recruit them. This might be radical, but it’s the right thing to do.”

Nationally only 3.2 per cent of fire service staff are from an ethnic minority background, and 3.1 per cent are women.

There is one female chief fire officer and none from minority ethnic communities.

This compares with the police where one in five officers are women, and one in 20 are from ethnic minorities.

If all 46 fire and rescue services across the country opt for the higher targets and meet them, they can each receive £43,000, with more money on offer if some do not meet the grade.

Earlier this year, the Audit Commission criticised fire brigades for their lack of diversity, saying it hampers efforts to reach and educate different communities about fire risk.

And the Department for Communities and Government pointed to independent research which has shown that fire and rescue services which better reflect the diversity of their local population can save lives by being better equipped to reach those most at risk.

Last month a £3 million drive was announced to improve equality and diversity across the fire service.